What if I Had Never Let You Go
by paintmetheuniverse
Summary: This story follows the relationship between Cecilia and Robbie and the struggles that they must overcome. Will Briony's jealously get in the way? Can Robbie and Cecilia survive the battle of betrayal? I BELIEVE IN HAPPY ENDINGS.


The raindrops fell slowly against the windowpane, each one hitting at a slightly different angle, and cascading down. Cecilia sighed as she leaned against the window, watching the water drops fall. She was thankful to have returned from Cambridge a few days ago, but the break between summer and fall was dull compared to recent years. Leon hardly ever visited home and Briony had all but locked herself up in her room, writing a play, which had become her latest obsession. Cecilia loved her siblings, but relating to them had become a battle, one which she was not willing to fight. Closing her eyes and rubbing her temples, her thoughts wandered to last semester. Although she was a popular girl, Cee had started to pick up on the fact that her so called friends, didn't know much about her at all. Instead of getting to know her ambitions, hopes and dreams, they eagerly gossiped about those whose status was below them and whose father was making the most money. To keep up appearances for her mother's sake, Cecilia attended functions and made appropriate appearances, but when she had a spare moment to herself, she savored it and spent it locked away in the library away from all the judgement. Perhaps that's how she found herself spending more time with Robbie, her father's help, instead of her sophisticated group of peers. Pulling her scarf a little closer to her chest, she smiled at the memory.

_It was a crisp autumn afternoon, and Cecilia had just managed to escape the claws of Katherine Winters. _

"_Oh Cee, you MUST come with us for a spot of tea. I know this lovely place a few blocks away. Daddy says it's the best place around, only our kind is served there" Katherine Winters cooed._

"_Our kind" Cecilia questioned, raising an eyebrow._

_Katherine chucked and looked at the girls around them. "Oh darling, you're so adorably naive. You don't think they'd let in people on… a fixed income."_

_Cecilia fought the chance to roll her eyes at Katherine's irritating giggling. "Maybe another time. I must write to Leon before it gets too late." _

_Before Katherine had a chance to respond, Cecilia quickly darted across the campus, through the trees and opened the doors to the library. She sighed gratefully and made her way to the top floor, savoring the chance to explore. Her fingertips grazed a stack of books, and she found herself searching for a giant arm chair and a good read. Once she settled on a novel, she found a quaint little corner with a giant window and a bench, overlooking the lovely campus. Cecilia snuggled up and began to read, oblivious to the world around her. After some time, she found herself dozing off in the comfort of the musty library, until she heard…_

"_Cee?"_

_She dropped the book on her lap in surprise, and found herself staring back into the strikingly blue eyes of Robbie Turner. _

"_Robbie. You… startled me. What are you doing here?" Cecilia gasped._

_His eyes crinkled with mischief and the corner of his mouth was upturned into a smirk as he held up his books. "Studying for my medical exam. Hardly ever see you around. Did you forget that I'm studying to a doctor here, too, Miss Tallis?"_

_Cecilia's cheeks flushed in embarrassment at his teasing, and she felt her heart tug slightly with guilt at the fact that she'd knowingly been ignoring him since he started attending. It wasn't her fault, no, not directly. But if her power hungry friends had any inkling of her past friendship with the housekeeper's son, no one would let her live it down. She opened her mouth to protest, but it snapped shut when she realized that what he said was true._

_Before Cecilia had a chance to think of a clever response, Robbie had already spoken again. "I'm just teasing you Cee. Imagine the look of horror on Katherine Winters face if she knew you used to bake mud pies and swim in the lake with your family's help."_

"_Robbie that's not true… you know you we don't think of you and your mother like that" Cecilia fought back sadly. "And to hell with Katherine and her outrageous behavior. I have half a mind to give her a piece of my mind! She doesn't have the right to talk about you when she doesn't know you. Three years of friendship and she barely knows me!" _

_He chuckled and sat down next to her. "So is that why you are hiding out in the library on this beautiful afternoon?"_

Cecilia opened her eyes and found herself staring back at the rain, which was continuing to pour. Ever since that library encounter, she found more excuses to go back to the library, which was convienently the same time Robbie was there. Soon it became weekly meetings, then every other day. Being around Robbie was a breath of fresh air for Cecilia. He knew her so well, that she had almost forgotten the reason they had stopped spending time together in the first place. The more she was around Robbie, the more she stopped caring around Cambridge cliques and petty talk of money. Robbie actually cared about her ambitions and encouraged her to continue what made her passionate. By the time school ended, the two had become very close again, just like when they were children. So why wasn't Cecilia spending time with Robbie today? Ever since they had returned home, it was expected of them to return to their separate lives and roles in society. However, Cecilia couldn't help but long for those precious moments to return. She hated to admit it, but she hadn't found a reason to approach him without looking like a silly school girl with a little crush. Truth be told, Robbie had caught her eye, and lately all she could think about were his strong arms, wishing he'd wrap them around her and hold her close.

"Pure foolishness" she chided herself. "We are from two different worlds and he would never fall for the prim, proper, boring Cecilia."


End file.
